The present invention relates to flavorful forms of tobacco for cigarettes and other types of smoking articles and, in particular, to processes for providing such flavorful forms of tobacco.
Cigarettes, cigars and pipes are popular forms of smoking articles which use tobacco in various forms. Many types of smoking products and improved smoking articles have been proposed through the years as improvements upon, or as alternatives to, the popular types of smoking articles. Recently, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,708,151 to Shelar; 4,771,795 to White et al.; 4,714,082 to Banerjee et al.; 4,756,318 to Clearman et al.; and 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al.; and European Patent Publication Nos. 212,234 and 277,519 propose cigarettes and pipes which comprise a fuel element, an aerosol generating means physically separate from the fuel element, and a separate mouthend piece. Such types of smoking articles provide natural tobacco flavors to the smoker thereof by heating, rather than burning, tobacco in various forms. As natural tobacco flavors are important components of smoking articles in order that such smoking articles can provide adequate tobacco taste and aroma, improved processes for providing natural tobacco flavor substances and flavorful forms of tobacco clearly are desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,919 to Green proposes the preparation of tobacco extracts for use in cigarettes. In particular, tobacco is extracted with cold water, the liquid extract is freeze dried and ground to a powder form, and the powder is dusted onto tobacco filler for cigarette manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,754 to Tughan proposes extracting tobacco with water and spray drying the liquid extract to provide a tobacco extract in powder form. The spray dried tobacco extract is useful in the manufacture of smoking products.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,171 to Rooker proposes a process for the production of a smokable product having a tobacco taste. The proposed process involves heating tobacco to a temperature of about 175.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. to release aromatic components from the tobacco. The aromatic components so released then are trapped on absorbent charcoal, and then are removed from the charcoal by solvent extraction. The mixture of tobacco aromatic components and solvent then is applied to vegetable matter to provide a smokable product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,682 to Mueller proposes the preparation of tobacco aroma oils. Tobacco is extracted using a hydrocarbon solvent and the extracted tobacco components are deposited onto a substrate. The extract carried by the substrate then is subjected to an extraction process using a solvent in a supercritical state.
It would be highly desirable to provide a process for efficiently and effectively producing flavorful forms of tobacco which exhibit a tobacco smoke-like flavor and character.